We designed a distinctive 3D brand language for Skil. Plus we added some smart features to their products to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Skil is a major player in the highly competitive international market of power tool manufacturers. Competition from store brands and low cost Asian manufacturers are increasingly putting pressure on the market shares. Skil asked us to (re-)design their product portfolio to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
The design of power tools is a fantastic challenge because it requires a perfect symbiosis between functionality, ergonomics and shape. In the past years we have successfully developed a wide range of tools for Skil, including drills, angle grinders, circular saws and most recently garden tools.
Skil is a major player in the highly competitive international market of power tool manufacturers. Competition from store brands and low cost Asian manufacturers are increasingly putting pressure on the market shares. Skil asked us to (re-)design their product portfolio to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
The design of power tools is a fantastic challenge because it requires a perfect symbiosis between functionality, ergonomics and shape. In the past years we have successfully developed a wide range of tools for Skil, including drills, angle grinders, circular saws and most recently garden tools.
Power tools across all brands mostly comprise of the same technical components on the inside. Specifications like force, speed or power hardly differ between competitors.
This offers an outstanding opportunity to add value through design. The design of the product has to express that the Skil tool allows the consumer to complete a difficult job faster and more conveniently.
Please view the slide show for an overview of the products we developed for Skil.
Power tools across all brands mostly comprise of the same technical components on the inside. Specifications like force, speed or power hardly differ between competitors.
This offers an outstanding opportunity to add value through design. The design of the product has to express that the Skil tool allows the consumer to complete a difficult job faster and more conveniently.
Please view the slide show for an overview of the products we developed for Skil.
DIY shops often suffer from a lack of skilled staff that can guide and assist the consumer through the decision making process for the purchase of a power tool and therefore the product has to ‘sell itself’. The added value of the product has to be immediately obvious to the consumer.
We ensured that Skil’s products don’t just distinguish themselves through striking, eye-catching design and great ergonomics, but also through added features that make the job just that little bit easier.
One of the added features we came up with is the integrated cable clip for drills and jigsaws, which makes neat storage with a tucked away power cord just that bit easier.
Another example is the additional ergonomic handgrip on the angle grinder and the circular saw that increase the ease of use as well as a unique, distinctive shape.
DIY shops often suffer from a lack of skilled staff that can guide and assist the consumer through the decision making process for the purchase of a power tool and therefore the product has to ‘sell itself’. The added value of the product has to be immediately obvious to the consumer.
We ensured that Skil’s products don’t just distinguish themselves through striking, eye-catching design and great ergonomics, but also through added features that make the job just that little bit easier.
One of the added features we came up with is the integrated cable clip for drills and jigsaws, which makes neat storage with a tucked away power cord just that bit easier.
Another example is the additional ergonomic handgrip on the angle grinder and the circular saw that increase the ease of use as well as a unique, distinctive shape.
The Skil brand stands for reliable products that offer value for money with ‘getting the job done’ as its main message. This message has been translated through the product’s design in a mix of not just power and a dynamic feel, but also reliability and convenience.
We captured the personality and characteristics in a brand book. Through collages, sketches and photos these design guidelines describe the appropriate use of materials, colour, graphics and shapes.
The brand book gives designers clear guidelines for the design of a new tool and helps marketers to assess the designs and guard the look & feel of the brand. This ensures a consistent brand image even through future projects.
Please view the slide show for an overview of deliverables throughout the development process.
The Skil brand stands for reliable products that offer value for money with ‘getting the job done’ as its main message. This message has been translated through the product’s design in a mix of not just power and a dynamic feel, but also reliability and convenience.
We captured the personality and characteristics in a brand book. Through collages, sketches and photos these design guidelines describe the appropriate use of materials, colour, graphics and shapes.
The brand book gives designers clear guidelines for the design of a new tool and helps marketers to assess the designs and guard the look & feel of the brand. This ensures a consistent brand image even through future projects.
Please view the slide show for an overview of deliverables throughout the development process.
Besides the DIY products, we also developed affordable garden tools with a smart storage feature.
In order to widen their product range and increase store presence, Skil asked us to design a new line of garden tools. Before starting the actual design of the different products, we joined Skil in a search for consumer insights for possible added value.
Surprisingly it turned out to be not the use of the tools led to inspiration for new functionality, but the storage of the tools. Gardening tools are often stored inside a small garden shed, a garage or outdoors cupboard. More often than not, these don’t tend to be the most organized areas of one’s house.
Retrieving the tool you’re looking for is often hampered by a chaos of wires, hoses and what not. Because of this, we added a hanging detail to all the tools. By including a modular hanging rail with all the products the whole collection can be easily and orderly stored.
Besides the obvious functional added value, the hanging detail is an eye-catching element and a strong distinctive feature. It’s a perfect example of how consumer insights can be key in successful product development.
In order to widen their product range and increase store presence, Skil asked us to design a new line of garden tools. Before starting the actual design of the different products, we joined Skil in a search for consumer insights for possible added value.
Surprisingly it turned out to be not the use of the tools led to inspiration for new functionality, but the storage of the tools. Gardening tools are often stored inside a small garden shed, a garage or outdoors cupboard. More often than not, these don’t tend to be the most organized areas of one’s house.
Retrieving the tool you’re looking for is often hampered by a chaos of wires, hoses and what not. Because of this, we added a hanging detail to all the tools. By including a modular hanging rail with all the products the whole collection can be easily and orderly stored.
Besides the obvious functional added value, the hanging detail is an eye-catching element and a strong distinctive feature. It’s a perfect example of how consumer insights can be key in successful product development.
Elektronicaweg 22
2628 XG, Delft
The Netherlands
